Banner Day for Boston !

What a day for Beantown! Guess how many champions Boston pro teams will get this year?

NBA:
It is official today that Kevin Garnet was traded to Celtics. With Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, it makes the C's can play three allstars on the floor at the same time. Suddently, Celtics become the team to beat in the East, and a title favorite. I still root for Miami Heat but somehow will not mind if C's win the champions this year.
--

MLB:
It is also official today that Eric Gagne, once the Cy award winner and one of the best closers in the league, is coming to Red Sox. With Jonathan Papelbon and Hideki Okajima, it makes Red Sox have three all-stars playing setup and closing roles. Since Red Sox is already the team to beat in AL and a favorite to win the world series, this addition makes the Sox even harder to be beat for the next few months. Yankees desperately need a bullpen pitcher. Now they lost the one they wanted most to the Red Sox. It is like a double victory for the Sox!
--

NFL:

Tom Brady is a father now. Congratulations to him.

Finally he has the weapon which Peyton Manning has all the time. Randy Moss is a Patriots now. So this will be the year to show Peyton Manning that who is the real best quarterback in the league! Tom still has two more rings than you, Manning.
--

This will be an interesting year. We'll see.

島上新聞 073007 - 今年誰最賺 ?

這幾天看了幾則醫師寫的文章，內容大抵還是常見的那些，抱怨醫生不是人幹的，薪資跟工時不成比例之類。剛好今天又看到這則蘋果日報的新聞，醫師感嘆賺不過舞小姐，好像真的很慘呀！不過賺得過舞小姐的行業應該也不多就是了。


每行都有不為人知的辛苦，幹研究工作的如果真的用金錢或薪資作為衡量標準，大概也是一肚子苦水吧。

認識不少醫師，各式各樣的都有。身邊幾個來美唸 MPH 現在已回台灣的醫生裡面，有很惹人厭愛比較又愛現的；也有很平實只想待在花東做個小鎮醫生，打算將來去非洲行醫的。不知道他們的心裡是不是感覺到一樣的苦悶？

反倒是做律師的覺得這統計有問題，誠實自承說太不可思議從沒聽過律師收入減少的消息。

「醫師沒賺頭」，「會計師不是人幹的」，「律師最誠實」。咦？怎麼跟我的認知都恰恰相反呀？

--

高薪行業 機師20萬最高
律師賺6萬掉20名外 醫師嘆賺不過舞小姐

【生活中心、法庭中心╱連線報導】傳統高收入「三師」醫師、會計師、律師風光不再。根據勞委會昨公布最新調查，去年國內最賺錢二十個職業中，航空機師蟬聯冠軍、平均月薪二十萬八千多元；精算師則躍升十名進佔第二名，平均月薪十三萬五千多元；醫師雖連續兩年穩列第三名，但收入卻下滑百分之三。會計師則由第四名跌到第八名，前年排名第八的律師去年更跌出前二十大榜單。

台大醫院外科加護病房主任柯文哲說，醫師收入縮水不讓人意外，估計平均年薪減少約六十萬元，「醫界已進入微利時代，紅牌舞小姐都比醫師賺得多」。九鼎會計師事務所會計師張福淙則說，會計師工時長，「這行業不是人幹的，年輕人最好不要進來」。 對於律師被擠出二十大高薪職業，聯大法律事務所律師劉昌崙也說，律師考試錄取率逐年提高，入行者越來越多，市場沒變大但律師人數變多，的確會影響新進律師收入。台北律師公會理事長劉宗欣昨則表示：「太不可思議了！會不會是調查的樣本或來源有問題，這一兩年來從未聽說律師收入減少的消息。」幫總統夫人吳淑珍辯護的知名律師顧立雄也說，律師收入須視其執業年資而定，且一般受僱律師除月薪之外，年終都會依個人績效領取紅利，月收入不能反映出律師實際收入。

開開關關

凡凡現在會自己開關房門了，正式跨入「擋也擋不住」的時代！
(不過還好現在力氣小，不是每個門都能夠轉得開，呼！)

關門基本動作示範:
先用左手將門帶近，最後抽開左手轉用右手握住門把，將門扣上完成。
注意重點 - 手部動作的交互運用。

07/28/30 房間內視角


07/29/30 房間外視角


表演了關門，當然也要表演開門囉。
07/29/07


可惜這部分並不是每一次都會成功。真的不成只好開始唉，凹人幫他開了。
07/28/07


努力了半天，還是打不開。
07/28/07

梳頭

凡凡現在正是學習模仿能力最強的時候，天天看著媽媽洗完澡後梳頭，也跟著拿了個梳子，梳得起勁得很，梳完也曉得要把梳子收好。

中間還不忘跑到鏡頭前來個特寫。

月半

Scientific American
Supersize Me—and All My Friends

ScienceNOW
Six Degrees of Obesity?

Harvard University: Current news
Obesity spreads through social networks


一口氣列了三則講述同一件事的文章在旁邊的 A-log 裡，想想胖的人真可憐，每天被排山倒海的資訊灌輸肥胖有害健康已經夠慘了，三不五時多多少少還會被社會岐視，被貼上自制能力薄弱的標籤，坐飛機時發現你要坐在他旁邊也常被白眼，認為你讓小小的座位變得更為擁擠，現在可好，知名的哈佛醫學院研究指出，跟胖子做朋友也比較容易會發胖！

A new study finds that having an obese friend makes a person 57 percent more likely to develop a bulging waistline too. The effect was strongest for close friends but also occurred if friends of friends—or even their friends—gained weight.

而且你看，不止朋友，連跟有胖子朋友的人做朋友都會受影響；這下胖的人連交朋友都有麻煩了。真慘吶！嗚呼。

07/26/07 島上新聞 - Taiwanese Idol ?

有沒有這麼誇張呀？

--
東森新聞 2007/07/26 12:52
馬英九用過的…牙刷、毛巾、喝剩紅茶加口水　網拍起標

馬英九Long Stay住在民眾的家，期間所使用過的東西，也成了網拍的商品，立委盧秀燕，就把馬英九使用過的牙刷、毛巾、枕頭等東西，放上網路一元起標，來籌募他的競選經費。

桌上擺滿的日用品，上頭全有馬英九親筆簽名，小到牙刷，大到浴巾，都成了網拍的商品。

立法委員盧秀燕：「圍得住嗎？他也滿胖的啊，浴巾不是要圍的好不好，要擦的好不好？你想到哪裡去了？」

像這瓶馬英九喝過的紅茶，立委盧秀燕，還有特別的安排。

盧秀燕：「上面有他的口水，所以這瓶是非賣品，因為我想把它分裝成100瓶再來賣，每一瓶都有馬英九的口水」。

盧秀燕把這些商品放在網站一元起標，用來籌措下屆立委的競選經費，她說，馬英九這次在中彰投Long Stay，用過的物品成為爭相蒐藏的對象，甚至連住過的房間也因為有他的簽名身價不凡。

盧秀燕：「仁愛輔順之家他們給他住過的房間，就特別請他在房間的門口寫馬英九住過，所以他們把它保留起來，當總統套房」。

英九迷們如果想擁有馬英九用過的貼身物品，可以上網去逛逛，至於可以叫價到多少，哪一件能又奪冠呢？九天以後就可以見分曉。

--

台灣的選舉到底還可以繼續「演化」到怎麼樣的地步，真令人好奇。有需求就有供給，適者生存不適者淘汰，台灣的選民真的就喜歡吃這套？

不是說一定得一板一眼地報政見，選舉勝敗行銷畢竟佔了很大的部份。但從扁娃扁帽旋風以降，每個候選人都忙著給自己冠上個好聽的渾名，然後推一些 Q 版大頭娃娃，好像深怕不這樣做就選不贏似的。事實上的確也有人深以自豪地認為當初扁娃扁帽這種偶像化的選舉風潮是世上僅有的台灣奇蹟。現在回頭看看，只能說不知這種怪現狀還要持續或說變本加厲到哪個地步才會止歇。

這樣的選舉到底是種驕傲，還是種病態？

拜託，不要再來了。難道下次要開始賣馬內褲了嗎？

--
延伸閱讀:
「小燕」的 Yahoo 拍賣網址

囚徒的困境

凡凡想要進樓下大門入口的玄關瞧瞧，結果一進去，兩邊的門都推不開，只好不停地轉圈圈，用力推門時還曉得要順勢出聲大喊一下。

Red Sox Baby

今天從圖書館拿回預約的 DVD，終於等到了這一片。

全名是 Red Sox Baby - Raising Tomorrow's Red Sox Fan Today !



凡凡專心地看著外盒上的介紹，兼不停地調整姿勢，想找個最舒服的位子坐下來好好地看。


內容當然就是小朋友喜歡的唱歌跳舞，看著看著凡凡也跟著舞動起來。


Go Sox!

心有餘而力不足

下午凡凡媽媽買了新的腳踏車內胎回來更換，凡凡很熱心地主動表示要幫忙打氣，可惜心有餘而力不足，就連一下也壓不下去，只好改弦易輒，拿起「羅賴把」看看還有沒有甚麼地方是他可以幫忙的，真是一個好小孩。

Hercules Again

凡凡現在力氣越來越大，比同齡的小朋友還有力得多。有圖有真相。

穿鞋子

現在天氣熱，凡凡出門多是穿涼鞋，閒來無事就會把玩自己腳上的鞋子。現在對凡凡來說，脫鞋子是小事一件，一點困難都沒有。

順便讓你們看看凡凡的腿多壯多有力！

比較有問題的是穿鞋，努力地試了半天還是抓不著頭緒。試著試著把鞋都試到地上去了。



再試一次，看來還是不行。不過往好處想，至少獨立了些，沒有唉著要人幫他把鞋穿好，全靠自己。



再加油吧！

吃吃吃

禮拜天下午天氣特好，不冷不熱，太陽照著溫溫暖暖的，便一路推著凡凡到超市採買。

凡凡到超市可開心了，一路上不停地吃著不同的食物。

葡萄


優格


火雞胸肉


開心到不知所云


吃飽喝足，當然接下來就是睡了。

又來了？！

怪了，又不是強迫你們一定要投贊成票，只是要求讓大家表決而已。總不能覺得會贏的案子就給表決，投不贏的案子就不讓表決吧？

以往老民代時期這樣杯葛還有道理可說，現在都甚麼時代了還這樣搞說不太過去吧？投票比人數是民主基本原則，不過也沒辦法，反正你們的支持者怎麼樣票都會投給你的，你講甚麼他們都會大聲叫好，這就是台灣的民主品質。

看一次嘆一次，真的是很丟臉。

但至少這次沒有民主高根鞋和機車大鎖出現了！還算有點進步。

Party for Harry Potter 7

今晚是哈利波特最後一集開賣的日子，往年開賣的 party 都在 Boston 辦，今年不知怎的移到 Cambridge，地點就選在我們學校的 new yard。

下午的時候騎車去 Dunkin' Donuts 買 latte & smothies，經過 yard 時裡面就已經人山人海了，大的小的穿巫師袍戴女巫帽子的四處可見。等過馬路的時候跟交通警察聊了一下，我說在 Cambridge 辦很不錯呀！可惜這是最後一本了。她說她不相信這會是最後一本，這麼賣的書一定會繼續寫下去的！Well...we'll see.


據她跟我說這人潮會一直等到晚上十二點 coop 開賣，然後扮成書裡人物的人們會輪流拜訪 square 的每一家店一起辦活動。

在家吃完飯後看天色還沒全暗，全家便走到 yard 去共襄盛舉一下，這時人更多了，活動的台子搭在 memorial church 前面。


Wildner Library 前的階梯也坐滿了人，台上有樂團表演，台下也有免費的食物和果汁茶水可以飲用。




不時還有人上台帶大家喊喊口號，唯持現場的熱度，凡凡還太小，看起來一點興趣也沒有。

Tom Brady, You're Screwed !

The term TGIF stands for "Thanks God! It's Friday!", hmm...maybe not for Tom Brady this time.

Tom Brady: ONIF - "Oh No! It's Friday!"

It has been reported that Tom Brady's ex, Bridget Moynahan, is due to give birth to their baby on Friday, which is also the birthday of Gisele Bundchen, Brady's current girlfriend.

I never like Gisele and still can't get it why she is the no.1 supermodel in the world with highest income (33 million this year). Tom, you better be at that birth! Who cares about Gisele's birthday?

My only conclusion is - it is all about karma!!!

Superman

Since I showed you the song about "Superwoman" yesterday, how can I not show you the song about "Superman"?

I bet you heard this song before. Yeah, it is the theme from "Scrubs". It is funny that two songs are so similar but in opposed gender positions.



Superman - Lazlo Bane

Out the door just in time \ Head down the 405 \ Gotta meet the new boss by 8 a.m. \ The phone rings in the car \ The wife is workin' hard \ She's running late tonight again

Well I know what I've been told \ You got to work to feed the soul \ But I can't do this all on my own \ No, I know, I'm no Superman \ I'm no Superman

You've got your love online \ You think you're doing fine \ But you're just plugged into the wall \ And that deck of tarot cards \ Won't get you very far \ There ain't no hand to break your fall

Well I know what I've been told \ You gotta know just when to fold \ But I can't do this all on my own \ No, I know, I'm no Superman \ I'm no Superman

That's right

You've crossed the finish line \ Won the race but lost your mind \ Was it worth it after all \ I need you here with me \ Cause love is all we need \ Just take a hold of the hand that breaks the fall

Well I know what I've been told \ Gotta break free to break the mold \ But I can't do this all on my own \ No I can't do this all on my own \ I know that I'm no Superman \ I'm no Superman \

I'm no Superman \ Someday we'll be together

Superwoman

This is an old song (1988) but got popular again in Taiwan because of the recent adapted Chinese version.

This is also the first English song that I really tried to memorize all its lyrics. I was a kid then but somehow felt the lyrics is different to other popular love songs. I spent weeks but still could not make it done.

Anyway, a good song reminding guys to care about the woman beside you!



Superwoman - Karyn White

Early in the morning I put breakfast at your table \ and make sure that your coffee has its sugar and cream \ Your eggs are overeasy, your toast done lightly \ all that's missing is your morning kiss that used to greet me \ Now you say the juice is sour, it used to be so sweet \ and I can't help but to wonder if you're talking about me \ We don't talk the way we used to talk, it's hurting so deep \ I've got my pride, I will not cry, but it's making me weak

I'm not your superwoman \ I'm not the kind of girl that you can let down and think that everything is okay \ Boy I am only human \ This girl needs more than occasional hugs as a token of love from you to me

I fought my way through the rush hour trying to make it home just for you \ I want to make sure that your dinner will be waiting for you \ But when you get there, you just tell me you're not hungry at all \ you said you'd rather read the paper and you don't want to talk \ You like to think that I'm just crazy when I say that you've changed \ I'm convinced I know the problem, you don't love me the same \ You're just going through the motions and you're not being fair \ I've got my pride, I will not cry, still I can't help but care!!

I'm not your superwoman \ I'm not the kind of girl that you can let down and think that everything is okay \ Boy I am only human \ This girl needs more than occasional hugs as a token of love from you to me

Oooh, baby!!! Look into the corners of your mind \ I'll always be there for you through good and bad times \ but I can't be the superwoman that you want me to be!! \ I'll give my everlasting love if you'll return love to me!!

I'm not your superwoman \ I'm not the kind of girl that you can let down and think that everything is okay \ Boy I am only human \ This girl needs more than occasional hugs as a token of love from you to me

Oh!!! If you feel it in your heart and you understand me \ stop right where you are, everybody sing along with me \ (hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo...) \ I'm the kind of girl that can treat you so sweet \ but you got to realize that you got to be sweeter to me \ I need love, I need just your love, I'm not your superwoman...

Down Again

My just rebuilt laptop got mal-adware and virus infected, unfortunately. Then IT guy came to save me and let me see how he hunts and kills those worms.

It is really surprising what a good job those viruses did. They hide and put lots of hooks in your system. If you missed anyone of these hooks, they will come back next time you start your computer. Amazing how similar these digital-viruses are to the real organisms. It reminds me the movie "Ghost in the Shell" (I have the DVD in hands, but have not watch it yet. I watched the Ghost in the Shell 2 though).

At the end, we found the virus infected a key component of XP which listen the network traffic (don't ask me what that means; that is what the IT guy told me.) So the hard-drive of my laptop was once again taken away for further examination.

Is today my day? I don't know. Although the computer is done, finally my microtubule dynamics experiment works. It appears that there is a mechanism to stabilize microtubules close to equatorial cortex. Greg Gundersen proposed a microtubule capping models for microtubule stabilization in migrating fibroblasts. Apparently the "possible cap" of microtubule tip is ATP sensitive, but so far the protein has not been biochemically identified yet. Maybe the case is also true for cytokinetic cells.

More Membrane During Cell Divison ?

This is a feedback to Chun-Ting's comment in previous post.

It is clear that membrane trafficking is active during cytokinesis which probably begins from early anaphase. What Tommy claimed is the membrane trafficking is active in mitosis.

One reason people don't believe Tommy's idea is many internal membrane organelles are disasembled during mitosis. Even there are some endocytosis activities, it is probably not a "general" endocytosis.

Pictures below are the results from my previous experiments which I treated cells with N-N-dimethylformamide for a short period of time to interrupt the association between membrane and cortical actin network. Membrane was released from the cortex as hugh blebs. Red is RhoA, green is actin, and blue is DNA. You will be surprised how much membrane can be stored on the rigid, round-up cortex, Same as cytokinetic cells.

M Phase Cell

C Phase Cell


Therefore I doubt cells require membrane trafficking to regulate the total amount of cortical membrane during cell division.

Another possiblity is membrane trafficking actually is working on recycling signal molecules, but not membrane per se. I will buy this hypothesis. However, compared to cytokinetic cells which have a highly specialized equatorial cortex for cleavage furrow, the cortex in metaphase is kind of homogenous. I just cannot see what can be recycled from mitotic cortex.

Together, I am still not convinced.

野餐

等凡凡玩沙玩夠了之後，順便就在法學院餐廳外面野餐吃晚飯。這幾天天氣很好，天黑得晚，算是新英格蘭天氣裡面最舒服，最適合去戶外活動的一段時間了吧。

今天吃煎餃。

凡凡想學大人自己用叉子，試了半天媽媽幫他叉好後，滿意了，接下來便用手再把叉好的煎餃拔下來塞到嘴裡；一口一個，鼓著嘴。

沙灘

小孩子都喜歡玩沙，下午帶凡凡去玩沙。

喔，不是海邊的沙灘，是學校裡法學院邊那塊打沙灘排球的沙灘啦。

凡凡玩得很樂，總喜歡把沙舀去其它地方倒。先是旁邊的草地，旁邊的長凳，最後連被風吹得遠遠的沙灘球也不放過，只是距離比較長，常常跑到一半沙子發現沙子漏光了，只好折回再來一次，經過幾次嘗試之後總算成功地倒了勺沙子在球上頭，就樂了。



中間凡凡玩到一半的時候，發現凡凡媽媽正坐在餐廳前用電腦，還特地掉頭朝媽媽的方向鼓掌秀了一下，可惜好像沒有看見；一陣子後就轉身繼續自個兒玩了。

太委屈

隨著長大，凡凡的心思也越來越成熟，慢慢懂得別人的意思也會產生一些互動。做了不該做的事，以前聽到「No No」大概只知道要停下來不能做；現在長大了聽到我們說「No No」，可能感覺受到了責備，覺得委屈，往往就扁嘴抿唇，眼框泛淚，準備要哭了。

聽到「No No」前，興味盎然。

聽到「No No」後，含悲忍淚。

今早就是凡凡在吃飯時玩耍，故意把裝在瓶子裡的牛奶倒在 high chair 的桌子上，我看到就說了句「No No」，語氣也沒有特別嚴厲，就是照平常說話那樣子；那知我們家凡凡公子大概感到滿腹委屈又說不出，一臉難過想哭的表情，兩眼直望著我，偶爾中間還出聲試圖博取同情。



後來凡凡媽媽來了，終於再也忍不住放聲哭了出來，看了好似真的受到了天大的冤枉，令人感到不捨。凡凡媽媽看了就要凡凡下次要記得跟奶奶告狀！

凡凡的新玩具

前陣子學校的 daycare center 舉辦了跳蚤市場大拍賣，帶著凡凡挑了不少玩具和童書回來。影片中這個凡凡很愛玩的玩具就是只花了一塊錢買的。

這玩具很不錯，四個按鈕分別訓練小朋友扳轉扭壓四種動作，結合這四個動作就可以把小鋼珠投進籃中「ㄎㄧㄤ」一聲得分。凡凡還在摸索其中的關聯，特別是轉的部分凡凡一直不太熟練，每次卡住就想到找人來幫他解決問題。不過雖然如此，還是特愛玩，可以玩好一陣子。

而且還曉得要放在紙盒上墊高一點比較好玩。

Membrane Stuff

CELL BIOLOGY
Cells Shape Up, Vesicles Don’t Ship Out

When Cells Shrink and Round Up for Division, Membrane-containing Vesicles Continue Traveling In but Not Out of the Cell

今天在醫學院報紙上看到的新聞，主要是講 Tommy 發現其實在 mitosis 的時候, endo-/exocytosis 並沒有停止，也就是說 Tommy 認為以前在教科書上唸到的東西都是錯誤的。文章大概敘述了整個研究的發展與經過。Tommy 對這個發現很興奮，一直要丟 Nature/Science 等級的 paper 但不斷地被打回票，撐了一年後看來終於放棄，透過 Marc Kirschner 登在 PNAS 上。

我其實對這結果不是很感興趣，不過我的經驗是 cortical membrane 不能夠單算表面積這麼簡單，因為它有可能是 fold 的狀態。到底細胞在 round-up / furrowing 過程中是否 cortical lipid amount 真有明顯的變化，到現在都還沒有定論，技術上不容易做是最主要的原因，就算 Tommy 這篇 paper 也沒法給明確的答案。

這篇 paper 最後出現在 PNAS 時，paper title 已經明顯地保守許多。大概是真的在之前投稿過程中被鞭得很慘吧。

因為有可能會做些 membrane trafficking during cell division 的實驗，Tommy 差一點就成了我的 thesis advisory committee，還好 Chris 及時阻止了我。Tommy 的 lab 以前還有人在實驗室裡自殺，把筆記簿排在週圍放火燒。問到後來還真的沒半個人對他有好話的。Chris 說連coco (Tim & Chris 養的狗)都討厭他。

所以，實驗之餘常 gossip，多聽聽 words on the street 也是很重要的。

I Love Minuteman !

Minuteman, 喔不！我不是說那個「姐姐餓很久了」的小西點，下面是 Wikipedia 的解釋：

Minutemen is a name given to teams of select men from the Massachusetts militia, who vowed to be ready for battle in a minute's notice. These teams constituted about a fourth of the entire militia, and generally were the younger and more mobile, serving part of network for early response to any threat. Minuteman Paul Revere spread the news that "the Regulars are coming out" when the British marched towards the arsenal in Concord, as part of a minuteman network.

Minuteman 在美國的獨立戰爭裡十分出名，戰事又從麻州開端，或為此故，麻州東部聯合圖書館系統的名字便叫做 Minuteman。用得越久越發現這個系統真是好。前幾天講到「天下無雙」，一時興起上去看看有沒得借，沒想到真有，還用中文登記！只是拿片的時候，館員花了一會兒功夫才找到這片，方塊字對他們來說吃力了些。


畫面是外借的清單，昨晚趁空一口氣看了 The Weather Man 和 Ghost in the Shell 2 - Innocence (攻殼機動隊，真爛的翻譯！)，這些改天抽空再講。最近的新發現是最上面 Zoo New England 那項。圖書館用公家經費申請了很多會員，就像借書一樣讓市民免費借出使用。比如說我們住在 Cambridge 就向 Cambridge Library 預約 free pass，免費參觀包括收藏魔戒裡那個戒指的 Museum of Science，著名的 Museum of Fine Art 或 Harvard Nature History Museum (不過這兩間用我們學校的 ID card 就可以進去了)，或者海生館，動物園之類的地方，實在很棒！


仔細想想這樣確實比較好，就跟公園一開始的目地是為了讓沒有自家庭院的窮人也能享受綠地擁有開放空間一樣；讓所有人可以不分貧富或階級都有機會接觸博物館美術館動物園，對整體的幫助才會最大化。難怪大家都說美國福利好，不曉得是不是麻州比較有錢，覺得好像麻州在這些地方做的比其它地方都要好些？

Finally !

終於，我的電腦修好了。弄了好半天，結果還是找不出到底哪兒出了問題，最後就是換個新硬碟全部重灌再把備份資料給搬回來。好的地方是硬碟變大了(其實這個沒甚麼差，因為大家都是存到學校 server 上號稱怎麼灌都不會爆的網路磁碟上)，裡面的軟體也都變成是最新版的了；不過不好的地方是還有很多地方，像改成中文系統甚麼的，都得重做一次。

我的實體桌面跟電腦桌面。剛把電腦桌面換好，是凡凡在高雄旗津海灘上拍的照片。


可能受了李可染的影響，一直很喜歡牛，這隻牛是在高雄玉市買的，擺成松下休息的樣子。松樹有點遜，不過圖釘顏色和數量有限，就別太苛求了。

Can You Believe It?

原諒我又來講 Fever Pitch 了。實驗室的電腦看起來短時間內是沒辦法修好的了。原本以為是硬碟出了問題，換了新的還是一樣，現在正在檢查硬體的部分，不知到哪天才會弄好。

Fever Pitch 的另版海報，加入了 Red Sox 封王的畫面。

最近看了很多電影，雖然在台灣電視上已經看過 Fever Pitch，還是借了回來想多看幾次，實在是太好看了！DVD 的好處就是可以看到許多電影院裡看不到的花絮或幕後訪談等等。Fever Pitch 的 DVD 裡附了一個特別給 Red Sox 球迷，增加很多 2004 ALCS 和 World Series 經過的 alternative ending。儘管已經過了兩年，看到這些還是一樣感到身體內充滿熱血啊。前前後後大概又看了五六次，現在連凡凡都很熟 Tessie 這首歌了。

幕後花絮是這樣說的，製片跟導演都是 Sox fan，不過開拍的時候他們也沒期望紅襪可以拿下世界冠軍，畢竟「洋基贏紅襪輸」就像是紅襪的宿命，就這樣跟著球季一直拍下去。ALCS 三連敗給洋基之後，沒想到竟開始了大聯盟史上最傳奇的奪冠過程連贏八場一路到世界冠軍。所有的人在過程中儘管心裡高興卻都不敢說出自己的期望，過去的種種不幸經歷讓他們深怕一說出來這事就被 jinx 了；裡面也提到一群人包括 Stephen King 在贏了洋基後不敢說出來只好興奮得一直顫抖的事情。

如果你是紅襪球迷，感受真的會特別深刻，電影裡第一次帶 Ben 去看球的叔叔警告 Ben 要小心，因為 "It will break your heart. You will become God's most pathetic creture - The Red Sox fan."；Nike 當時拍的廣告就道盡了這種心酸。



據說 2004 紅襪終於拿到 86 年來的第一個世界冠軍後的幾個月，Boston 老人的死亡率明顯地升高了許多，大概是一種終於沒有遺憾了那樣的心情吧。另外 Harvard University 的校刊也提到，在當年的 ALCS 跟 World Series 期間，掛急診的人數顯著地減少。

Where did all those "sick" people go?

The Red Sox lost the first three games of the American League Championship to the New York Yankees last year. During those games, ER visits exceeded the normal pace. Then the Sox won game 4. During games 5, 6, and 7, the number of patients visiting emergency facilities fell between 5 and 22 percent.

ER doctors enjoyed another respite during the four World Series games when the Sox swept the Cardinals

可見在 Bostonian 的心中，對 Red Sox 拿冠軍的執念確實是置個人生死於度外啊。前面也寫過在 ALCS 第五場打延長賽的時候，孕婦在 Ortiz 打出再見全壘打的同時生下了個小女孩，取名叫 Caroline，當時要送醫院的時候，那孕婦還叫她先生不用跟著去，留在電視機前替紅襪加油。

電影裡 Ben 問道，你可曾有過在乎任何一件事可以持續二十三年的嗎？ / 說我太沉迷花太多時間在紅襪上面，她可是一天到晚加班工作耶？我想大概社會比較能接受那樣子的行為吧？

看著電影結尾裡的比賽經過和之後回到 Boston 遊行(約有三百萬人上街頭歡呼)的畫面，當時情境彷彿又被喚了出來。那年我們就住在 Fenway Park 旁邊，經過了那一次，一輩子都忘不了那種狂熱的心情。上次提到 Jimmy Fallon 原本是 Yankees fan，親身體驗過了 2004 紅襪季後賽以後便改口說自己是 Red Sox fan 了，我找到了個在 IMDB 的連結，看來這傳聞是真的。

I got to "Saturday Night Live" where my boss has unbelievable N.Y. Yankees tickets, so he invites us to the games. I'm going to all the games, so I might as well root for the team I'm gonna go sit with. I became a Yankees fan for a few years. But now, I gotta say, I'm really rooting for the Red Sox."

電影最後加入了當時播報員的轉播 "Can you believe it?"，當晚是 blue moon，月蝕。

Transformer!

No, I am not talking about the movie.

Today is TGIF. Let's see the latest work of our residential artist!



Here is a breif introduction :

Frog Time
Brain Kenp, 2007, non-repeating video installation

A frog cycles endlessly from tadpole to juvenile. The movement is often frantic as the creature struggles to keep up with time, but occasionally the frog slows down, perhaps accepting the inevitability of change.



I like this one better than the first two - drift and whatever I forgot its name.

Actually, I start thinking maybe it really works for bringing artists into our department. The work precisely describes the life of graduate students/postdocs - "often frantic", "struggles to keep up with time", and "occasionally slows down, perhaps accepting the inevitability".

凡凡的服裝秀

昨晚回到家，總算有件讓人高興的事了。前天才訂的照片，原來以為下禮拜一才會寄到，竟然已經躺在信箱裡了。

這次特地選了幾張打算洗出來放在實驗室的桌上天天看，所以看到照片來的心情特好。三張照片分別是沒穿衣服，穿著西服，和穿著唐服的凡凡。

這樣一套擺在桌上還頗好看的。

芭蕾舞者？

前幾天康橋的社工人員來家裡拜訪並帶了些書本禮物給凡凡。社工帶了自己的女兒同行，大人講話的同時小孩子們就在客廳玩了起來。


社工對凡凡的活動力驚嘆不已，看到凡凡想拿東西但不夠高踮腳尖的樣子，便跟凡凡的媽媽說，凡凡這麼小就可以踮腳尖，將來一定是塊跳芭蕾的好料子。

其實我們一直都以為每個小孩都跟凡凡一樣會站會攀爬之後就可以踮腳尖了，原來好像不是這麼一回事。

Today Is Not My Day

Due to the rain last night, we didn't go to the firework show. Instead, we watched it on TV. When FanFan heard "theme of Sesame street" as the firework backgound music, he was so happy and started to dance in front of the TV. I took a video on it and planned to blog it today.

Unfortunately, a naughty child took the camera without permission and deleted all pictures/videos. Kind of pissed. I brought the camera to the lab, trying to undelete those files.

After two hours, I got all my files back, except one, yes, the movie FanFan dances.

It is not over yet. Then my computer starts to restart itself, constantly. After examination, our IT guy Mason told me the hard-drive might be broken.

And, it is still not over yet. I planned to buy a stock but missed it due to the early market close on 7/3. That stock raised about ~13% today.

So today is really not my day. A mixture of anger, sad, and disappointment can well describe my mood right now.

Doctor Visit

今天是凡凡 15 個月例行性的檢查還有打疫苗，量了一下身高體重，凡凡已經有 83 公分高了，比起同齡的小朋友高出不少，希望繼續保持下去；不過可能因為太好動了，體重一直增加得很緩慢，現在還是只有 23 磅，大概十公斤多一點點，醫生要我們多給凡凡吃些高熱量的食物，然後六個禮拜後再看看體重有沒有增加快一些。

醫生也例行性的問了些發育的進度，像會不會走會不會跑之類的，凡凡八個月開始學走路，現在已經會跳了。懂的事很多，特愛看書，還會邊翻書邊說話講故事給爸爸媽媽聽。看那看書的樣子還真專心。

不愛台灣的指考國文

今年指考國文考題文言比例大幅增加，政治不正確，加上還要人翻譯始皇帝時代的古董文章《諫逐客書 》，擺明跟島上執政當局火熱推動的「以血統作忠誠檢查」嗆聲，不愛台灣至極！也難怪眾多高中考生會怨聲載道說這文章太難，看不懂，又臭又長了。

受了正統「愛台灣新教育」的台灣未來希望，自然是看不懂這種不愛台灣的文言文章的。

--
諫逐客書 - 李斯

會韓人鄭國來閒秦，以作注溉渠，已而覺．秦宗室大臣皆言秦王曰：「諸侯人來事秦者，大抵為其主游閒於秦耳，請一切逐客．」李斯議亦在逐中．斯乃上書曰：

臣聞吏議逐客，竊以為過矣．昔繆公求士，西取由余於戎，東得百里奚於宛，迎蹇叔於宋，來丕豹、公孫支於晉．此五子者，不產於秦，而繆公用之，并國二十，遂霸西戎．孝公用商鞅之法，移風易俗，民以殷盛，國以富彊，百姓樂用，諸侯親服，獲楚、魏之師，舉地千里，至今治彊．惠王用張儀之計，拔三川之地，西并巴、蜀，北收上郡，南取漢中，包九夷，制鄢、郢，東據成皋之險，割膏腴之壤，遂散六國之從，使之西面事秦，功施到今．昭王得范睢，廢穰侯，逐華陽，彊公室，杜私門，蠶食諸侯，使秦成帝業．此四君者，皆以客之功．由此觀之，客何負於秦哉！向使四君卻客而不內，疏士而不用，是使國無富利之實，而秦無彊大之名也．

今陛下致昆山之玉，有隨、和之寶，垂明月之珠，服太阿之劍，乘纖離之馬，建翠鳳之旗，樹靈鼉之鼓．此數寶者，秦不生一焉，而陛下說之，何也？必秦國之所生然後可，則是夜光之璧不飾朝廷，犀象之器不為玩好，鄭、衛之女不充後宮，而駿良駃騠不實外廄，江南金錫不為用，西蜀丹青不為采．所以飾後宮充下陳娛心意說耳目者，必出於秦然後可，則是宛珠之簪，傅璣之珥，阿縞之衣，錦繡之飾不進於前，而隨俗雅化佳冶窈窕趙女不立於側也．夫擊甕叩缶彈箏搏髀，而歌呼嗚嗚快耳者，真秦之聲也；鄭、衛、桑閒、昭、虞、武、象者，異國之樂也．今棄擊甕叩缶而就鄭衛，退彈箏而取昭虞，若是者何也？快意當前，適觀而已矣．今取人則不然．不問可否，不論曲直，非秦者去，為客者逐．然則是所重者在乎色樂珠玉，而所輕者在乎人民也．此非所以跨海內制諸侯之術也．

臣聞地廣者粟多，國大者人眾，兵彊則士勇．是以太山不讓土壤，故能成其大；河海不擇細流，故能就其深；王者不卻眾庶，故能明其德．是以地無四方，民無異國，四時充美，鬼神降福，此五帝、三王之所以無敵也．今乃棄黔首以資敵國，卻賓客以業諸侯，使天下之士退而不敢西向，裹足不入秦，此所謂「藉寇兵而齎盜糧」者也．

夫物不產於秦，可寶者多；士不產於秦，而願忠者眾．今逐客以資敵國，損民以益讎，內自虛而外樹怨於諸侯，求國無危，不可得也．

秦王乃除逐客之令，復李斯官，卒用其計謀．官至廷尉．二十餘年，竟并天下，尊主為皇帝，以斯為丞相．夷郡縣城，銷其兵刃，示不復用．使秦無尺土之封，不立子弟為王，功臣為諸侯者，使後無戰攻之患．